Index device



w. T. GoLLwlTzER 2,080,417

INDEX DEVICE May 18, 1937.

Filed Sept. l5, l934` Fig'. j

' whoa/Mu) Patented May 18, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE tgraphCorporation,

poration of Delaware Application September 1 (Cl. l29--16.8)

22 Claims.

This invention relates to means for indexing plates, cards, separators,etc., whereby they may be readily divided into two groups. This enablesa set of address printing plates, for instance,.to be classified into agroup which will be utilized in printing and a group which will beomitted as the set passes through the printing machine. Moreparticularly, my index device is of the class knowny as a switch-tabcomprising a projecting member pivotally mounted on the address plateand adapted to be swung into either of two positions so as to indicateeither visually or to a mechanical selector the takeit-or-leave-itcharacter of the plate at that time.

My invention is concerned with the combination of the switch tab and thespecially formed plate carrying the same, as well as with the tabindividually and the plate individually. Objects of the invention are toprovide such' switch tab, and the plate portion carrying the same, sodevised that the tab may be readily applied to the plate; and whenapplied, will remain rrnly affixed to the plate but at the same time maybe readily shifted as desired from one position to the other and willhold itself in either set position against inadvertent displacement, andwill not be liable to distortion in use.

Another object is to so arrange the parts that the plates equipped withsuch switch tabs will not be liable to interfere with each other, eitherwhen stored in a drawer or stacked in a printing machine. Another objectis to so form the tab that, in either position, it may effectivelycooperate with a corresponding portion of the selecting mechanism of anaddressing machine.

To the above ends, I have provided by this invention a tab having acentral tongue at its lower end, which is arranged for automatic pivotalengagement with a suitable keeper on the plate upon insertion of thetab. I have further provided on the tab an intermediately located springtongue provided with a shoulder which is adapted to coact with either oftwo retaining shoulders on a strap carried by the plate along which suchportion of the tab may move.

I have` provided the tab with a projection above the plate strap whichforms a guide preventing any other plate being hung onto the strap, andI have formed the upper end of the tab in a manner enabling it topresent an effective transverse abutment for the selecting mechanism.All of these characteristics will be more fully hereinafter explained inconnection with. the drawing, which shows an approved form of my tab`and` plate.

by mesne assignments, to Addressograph-Mul- Cleveland, Ohio, a cor- 5,1934, Serial No. 744,117

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a iront elevation of an address plate to whichthe tab is applied, theV index card of the plate being broken away todisclose the construction of the plate behind it; Fig. 2 is aperspective of the tab itself Figs. 3, 5.: 4 and 5 are fragmentary viewsof a portion of the plate, illustrating respectively the iront face withthe tab applied, the iront face without the tab, and the rear face withthe tab applied; Fig.

6 is a longitudinal section through a portion oi` wf the plate and tab,as indicated by the line 6-6 on Fig. 1; Fig. '1 is a section through thetab and plate along the central axis of the tab, as indicated by theline 1--1 on Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. '7, illustratingthe tab in the act 15? of being shoved into plate.

The plate may be a mere separator, or it may be a` printing plate andhave characters embossed or otherwise formed on I have shown it,however, as a carrying plate or frame l0 on which 20 is mounted a metalembossed printing plate A and an index card B. Suitable means are formedon the plate ID for retaining the printing plate and card in place.These need not be here described, except to state that the upper edge of251 the plate is curled over at Il at the top, which feature performsthe double function oi retaining the upper edge of the card and ofstiifening the plate. Extending along the top portion of the plate,behind the index card, may be a series 30. of keepers l2 to receiveordinary index tabs, whereby the plates may be classified according tothe position of such tabs.

Coming now to my invention, my tab, designated 20, is shown on what isordinarily a much 35` enlarged scale in Fig. 2. It has at its lower enda tongue 2l, which has a semi-circular underedge as shown at 22.Concentric with this edge and located substantially at the junction ofthe tongue with the body of the tab is a small pro- 4@ jectingsemi-circular offset or shoulder 23. This offset is `extending towardthe iront face of the tab. Above the tongue and offset I make in thebody of the vtab a downwardly formed approximately U-shaped cut 24,which leaves a spring 45 tongue 25, preferably of trapezoidal form,anchored at its lower end to the body of the tab and normally projectingtoward its rear face. On the front face of t is tongue I make anindentation 26, which results in a projection 21 on the 50 rear face.

The plate which is to carry the switch tab described is formed with apocket I5 to receive the tongue 22 and a strap l1, which extends acrossthe body of the tab.

The pocket is made by 55a making a longitudinal slit in the plate, whichis formed of two straight lines I3 parallel to the upper edge of theplate and an intermediate downwardly facingl semi-circular cut I4connecting the straight lines. The metal of the plate below these cutsis forced rearwardly to provide the pocket, which is open at the frontand has a semi-circular bottom I 5a.

shown. 'This strap has two holes I8 and I9 in it, either of which isadapted to be occupied by the projection 21 of the tab.

With the plate constructed as described, the tab is shoved manuallydownwardly into place, passing beneath the strap I'I and the lower endentering the pocket I5.

position is not liable to accidental displacement therefrom.

Accordingly, as the curled-over edge II of one plate would lievvdirectly behind the projection 28 it iskept from encroaching on thespace above the strap I 1 and hence cannot become entangled therewith.

sure the printing of that plate, and at D, a pin which when it engagesthe tab will cause the skipping of the plate. In order that one or thetab is in one position and another shoulder 32 which becomes parallelwith it when the tab is in the other position. Thus, the tab mayeiectively coact with the controlling pins C and D of the selector andthere is no tendency of the on its pivot, as desired.

I claim: 1. The combination of a plate to be indexed be pivotallyconnected to the plate and having a spring tongue adapted to shoulder.

5. The combination of a plate having an offset portion to provide apocket open on one face and coact with either at the top, an offsetstrap formed on said plate out of the material thereof a short distanceabove the pocket and on the same iace oi the plate and provided with twoshoulders, and a tab adapted to extend across the strap and to have itslower end occupy the pocket, said tab having a projection adapted toengage the lower edge of the material of the plate between the pocketand strap and having a spring tongue adapted to coact with eithershoulder or the strap.

6. The combination oi a plate having an offset strap adjacent the upperedge and a keeper below the strap, a tab adapted to extend across thestrap and have its lower end pivotally anchored in the keeper, said tabhaving a spring tongue carrying a projection and the strap having twoholes adapted to be respectively occupied by the projection according tothe position of the tab.

7. The combination of a plate having an ofiset strap adjacent the upperedgeV and an upwardly facing pocket below the strap and offset from thesame side of the plate, and a tab adapted to extend across the strap andhave its lower end occupy the pocket and be pivotally anchored therein,said tab having a spring tongue carrying a projection and the straphaving two holes adapted to be respectively occupied by the projectionaccording to the position of the tab.

8. The combination of a plate having a strap near its upper edge and atab extending transversely beneath said strap and limited in positionthereby, said tab having a projection above the strap adapted to form acamming guard with reference to the strap.

9. The combination of a plate having an upwardly opening pocket andastrap above the pocket, both the pocket and strap being offset from theplate on the same side thereo, and a tab extending transversely beneaththe strap and having a tongue at its lower end occupying the pocket, anda projection formed on the tab directly above the strap to form a guardtherefor.

10. A tab having a head at its upper end and formed adjacent its lowerend into a central tongue with a projecting shoulder abrupt toward thehead of the tab and located adjacent the junction of the body andtongue, whereby the tab may be pivoted.

ll. A tab having means for pivotally attaching it near its lower end toa retaining device and having intermediately a spring tongue carrying aprojection adapted to coact with recesses in the retaining device.

12. A plate to be indexed having a pocket depressed from the material ofthe plate and open toward one face of the plate and open toward theupper edge of the plate, the plate having a strap depressed from thematerial oi the plate on the same side as the poclet and between thepocket and the edge ci the plate, the material of the plate between thestrap-depression and the pocket having its lower edge recessed at thepocket, and the strap having a pair of openings through it whereby a tabwith a lower shoulder and an intermediate projection may be pivotaliymounted in the pocket and have the projection engage either opening ofthe strap.

13. The combination of an index tab and a member to be indexed, the tabhaving at its lower end a centrally located tongue provided with aprojection extending normally from the face oi the tongue, the upperedge oi the projection being abrupt while the lower portion thereofmerges with the face of the tongue, and the member to be indexed havinga recess adapted to be occupied by the projection in a manner to preventthe ready removal of the tab while allowing it to swing on a pivotformed by the projection and recess.

14. The combination of a plate to be indexed and a tab adapted forpivotal attachment thereto, said tab having adjacent its lower end aprojection merging at its lower end with the plane of the tab and at itsupper end normally presenting an abrupt shoulder out o the plane of thetab, the plate having a recess adapted to be occupied by the projection,whereby the tab may be readily inserted and will thereupon becomepivotally attached to the plate.

15. The combination of a plate to be indexed, having an upwardly openingpocket with an arcuate bottom, a tab having a central tonguecorrespondingly rounded at its lower end, and adapted to occupy thepocket and coact with the bottom thereof to prevent inward movement ofthe tab, and means for preventing outward movement of the tab whileallowing it to swing back and forth.

16. A plate to be indexed having a pocket formed by offsetting thematerial of the plate, said pocket being open at one face of the plateand toward the edge of the plate, the portion of the plate which denesthe top of the pocket being recessed in its nlower edge.

1'?. The combination of a plate to be indexed and an index tab,comprising a single strip of metal extending across the edge of theplate and pivoted adjacent its inner end directly to the plate andadapted to swing through an angle while still projecting across the edgeof the plate, means carried by the plate adapted to engage the tabbetween its pivoted end and its free end for holding it in either of twoextreme positions, the outer end of the tab being recessed at areentrant angle by substantially straight edges.

18. The combination of a member to be indexed provided with a pocket andan index tab whose lower end occupies the pocket, said tab comprising asingle strip formed adjacent its lower end with a centrally locatedprojection connected with one face of the tab above the lower endthereof and inclining away from the tab toward the upper end thereof, sothat the projection merges at its lower edge with the plane of the taband at its upper edge presents an abrupt shoulder and coacts with themember to be indexed above its pocket to form a pivot.

19. A tab formed at its lower end into a central tongue with a roundedlower edge and a projection formed on the face of the tongue and beingout of the plane thereof at the upper edge of the projection, saidprojection merging at its lower end with the plane oi the tongue andhaving an abrupt rounded upper edge.

20. A tab made of a single piece of material and having at its lower enda central tongue materially narrower than the body of the tab and ashoulder projecting from the face of the tab adjacent the junction ofthe body and tongue, the upper edge of the shoulder being rounded andthe lower end ci the tongue being rounded, whereby the tongue is adaptedto occupy a pocket in the member to be indexed while the projection maypivotally coact with a recess in the member above the pocket.

21. A tab made of a single piece of material and having at its lower enda central tongue materially narrower than the body of the tab and ashoulder projecting from the face of the tab adjacent the junction ofthe body and tongue, the upper end of the tab being recessed by anobtuse re-entrant angle.

22. The combination of a plate to be indexed der edges and connected atits ends integrally with the plate by portions which stand at an

